


Something (Silly) to Keep You (Seriously) Close

by DawnWillBreakSoon



Category: Given (Anime), Given (Manga)
Genre: Boys In Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Sweet, Uenoyama is the best boyfriend, very brief reference to previous suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-19 02:27:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29619189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DawnWillBreakSoon/pseuds/DawnWillBreakSoon
Summary: “Look at this! They put their cat’s face on a pair of socks!” Mafuyu exclaimed giddily, angling his phone screen toward his boyfriend, “isn’t it cute?” Uenoyama couldn’t have cared less about a picture of a cat’s face on socks, but the enthusiasm in Mafuyu’s voice was contagious.
Relationships: Satou Mafuyu/Uenoyama Ritsuka
Comments: 7
Kudos: 86





	Something (Silly) to Keep You (Seriously) Close

**Author's Note:**

> This one starts off sweet, and I meant for it to just be a happy little one-shot, but then it broke my heart and put it back together.

“Uenoyama-kun, come look at this!” Mafuyu called from where he sat on the floor, leaning against Uenoyama’s bed. The two were hanging out on a rare evening when they did not have band practice and neither had to work. Technically, they were supposed to be doing homework, but it hadn’t taken long for Uenoyama to reach for his guitar and headphones instead to work on a finicky melody and for Mafuyu to get distracted scrolling through social media.

“Hm? What is it?” Uenoyama asked, removing his headphones and leaning down from his bed to see what Mafuyu was gesturing to.

“Look at this! They put their cat’s face on a pair of socks!” he exclaimed giddily, angling his phone screen toward his boyfriend, “isn’t it cute?” Uenoyama couldn’t have cared less about a picture of a cat’s face on socks, but the enthusiasm in Mafuyu’s voice was contagious. 

“Ha, yeah, it is cute,” he said. Mafuyu pulled the phone back closer to his own face and stared at it for a few more seconds before giggling quietly and scrolling on. 

The evening passed amicably. Somehow, both boys managed to get their homework done and enjoy just hanging out. However, too soon for Uenoyama’s preference, Mafuyu stood up.

“I need to get home to feed Kedama. My mom said she would take him out before she went to work, but I still need to feed him.” 

“Okay, sure,” Uenoyama said, helping Mafuyu gather his things, “I’ll walk you down.” 

While walking back up to his apartment a short time later, Uenoyama thought back over the evening. Mafuyu had eaten dinner with he and his sister, and Yayoi actually hadn’t been too obnoxious. They had holed up in Uenoyama’s room immediately after dinner, and spent the next few hours chilling and doing homework. He smiled as he remembered Mafuyu’s excitement over that outlandish pair of socks. The way his nose crinkled when he smiled so intently made Uenoyama’s heart squeeze with happiness – his boyfriend was too cute for his own good. He only wished that he would always have that expression. Too often Mafuyu looked lost in his own world, and it wasn’t an entirely happy one. 

_If only he had something he could look at,_ Uenoyama thought, mechanically opening the door to his apartment, _and to hold onto when I’m not around to remind him that I am still there with him in spirit. True, Kedama is fairly good at getting him out of a funk. He at least gets him out of the house consistently. And man, does Mafuyu spoil that dog…I wonder if you can get a dog’s face on those socks? Would that be too ridiculous? Would he like that?_

Uenoyama’s thoughts continued to center around Mafuyu as he got ready for bed. Finally, he sent Mafuyu a text as he climbed into bed.

U: Did you make it home safely?

M: Yes of course I did!

U: Good, good. And how is Kedama?

M: After he got done pouting about my being late with his supper, he was fine. He’s such a cute little drama queen.

U: He doesn’t know how good he’s got it.

Mafuyu sent a picture of Kedama sitting beside his bed. His tiny pink tongue hung out of his mouth, contrasting against his stark white fur. Uenoyama smiled and searched online for the company that sold the socks.

“Rikka,” Yayoi said as she barged into her brother’s room a few weeks later, “this package is addressed to you, but it’s from a pet food company. Are you hiding something?”

“What?” Uenoyama sputtered, “No! Of course not. Give it to me.” He reached for the package but Yayoi quickly pulled it away.

“Why are you getting a package from a pet food company if you aren’t hiding anything?” Yayoi demanded. “Are you sure there isn’t a cat or something sneaking around here? You know pets aren’t allowed in the building.”

“No, I’m not hiding anything, now give that to me!” Uenoyama lunged for his sister but she jumped away. Again, he jumped but she darted out of the room with the package over her head. Finally, Uenoyama tackled his sister onto the couch and snatched the package away from her. Before he could escape back to his room, however, Yayoi jumped up and put him in a head lock.

“Tell me what’s in the package!” she growled. Uenoyama started to say no, but when Yayoi tightened her grip he relented.

“Okay, fine!” he said in a slightly strained voice, “It’s socks. Just socks”

“What?!” Yayoi laughed but let her brother go. He straightened up and took a deep breath.

“Why would you get socks from a pet food company?”

“They’re a gift,” Uenoyama relented, his voice dripping with annoyance, “for a friend.” Yayoi continued to stare at him skeptically.

“Whatever, weirdo,” she said, turning away and flipping her hair over her shoulder when he unflinchingly continued to meet her gaze. Uenoyama sighed and looked down at the package in his hands. He chuckled to himself and returned to his bedroom.

Once the door was securely closed, he tore open the package. The socks were neon red and had more than a dozen tiny replicas of Kedama’s face all over them.

“They’re so…bright!” he thought, shaking his head. They seemed ludicrous to him, but he knew right away that Mafuyu would like them. Probably. Maybe. Or he might think that Uenoyama was as weird as his sister claimed.

He sighed. Now that the socks were here, he wasn’t sure what to do with them. Mafuyu’s birthday wasn’t coming up. There weren’t any major holidays in the next few months. How was he going to give Mafuyu the socks? Should he even have bought them? Unfortunately, no matter how hard he thought, no ideas came to mind. He folded the socks and put them in a drawer. 

The next time Mafuyu came over to Uenoyama’s apartment, he had been in a funk all day. He was quieter than usual, he kept spacing out, and Uenoyama was concerned. Mafuyu had even agreed to call in sick to his part-time job way too easily when Uenoyama questioned whether he was up for it. He claimed he was fine, just tired, but Uenoyama could tell something was wrong.

They entered the apartment without a word and both took off their shoes and set their guitar bags down side by side. Mafuyu’s guitar started to slide down the wall, but Mafuyu caught it in a flash and picked it back up, again putting his arms through the straps and carrying it with him as he followed Uenoyama to his room.

“Do you want something to eat?” Uenoyama asked, shoving his hands into his pockets. Mafuyu shook his head and stared at the floor. Uenoyama started to say something else, then ran one hand through his hair. He sighed and shut the bedroom door, then sat on his bed with his back against the wall.

“C’mere,” he said, gesturing to the space beside him. Mafuyu looked up at him, then back down at his feet. After a few seconds which felt like an eternity to Uenoyama, he shrugged off the guitar and gently laid it on the floor by the end of the bed before sitting down heavily next to Uenoyama. He pulled his knees up to his chest and locked his arms around them.

“Hey, look at me,” Uenoyama said, awkwardly rubbing Mafuyu’s back with one hand, “what’s going on in your head today?” Mafuyu breathed in sharply and squeezed his eyes shut, burying his face in his arms. Uenoyama continued to rub circles on his back, growing increasingly concerned with each silent minute. Finally, Mafuyu curled into Uenoyama’s side.

“I thought I saw him today,” he said quietly, “I knew it couldn’t be him, but, just for a second, I thought it was.” Uenoyama’s chest tightened. He had wondered if Yuki’s ghost was haunting Mafuyu again, but he hadn’t expected to hear such pain in his boyfriend’s voice.

“I just – I still miss him,” Mafuyu’s voice cracked on the last word, and he sniffed before continuing. “When I thought I saw him walking away from me again, all of the guilt, and pain, and loneliness came back.” He closed his eyes and burrowed deeper into Uenoyama’s embrace. “I know I shouldn’t miss him when I’m with you. I’m sorry-“

“Hey,” Uenoyama cut him off quietly, gently squeezing his shoulders, “You don’t have to apologize for what you feel. I may not understand it all, but I know that he was important to you. Just, damn it, I’m here for you, okay? I may not be able to fix anything, but you don’t have to be lonely anymore.” Mafuyu nodded into Uenoyama’s shoulder, his breathing ragged as a few tears slipped down his face. Uenoyama’s heart broke to see him like this, but he also felt a twinge of pride that Mafuyu was willing to talk to him and open up as much as he did. He placed a gentle kiss on Mafuyu’s head and wrapped both arms around him, folding him into a tight embrace. Mafuyu, too, wrapped his arms around Uenoyama and laid his head on his chest, never opening his eyes as he digested his words. Yes, he missed Yuki, and he always would, but he wasn’t lonely, except for when he let his grief corner him and cut him off from those who loved him. Uenoyama Ritsuka loved him. At least, he had said that he liked him a lot, and the more time they spent together, the stronger their connection became.

“I wish I didn’t ever have to leave you,” Mafuyu said when his breathing finally returned to normal and his tears stopped. With one last sniffle he pulled back from his desperate embrace and settled back against Uenoyama’s side. Uenoyama sighed and adjusted his posture as well.

“I know,” he said, “someday, maybe you won’t have to.” As he said the words, his own heart sped up, and his face flushed.

“Yeah,” Mafuyu said listlessly, “someday.”

“Oh, hey, um, I’m not exactly sure how to say this,” Uenoyama fumbled for the right words and removed his arms from around Mafuyu, “but, I got you something. Do you want to see?” Mafuyu’s face brightened up a bit at that, and he nodded.

“Why did you get me something?” he asked, “It isn’t my birthday.” Uenoyama stood up.

“I know,” he said, “it just seemed like the right thing to do.” He opened the drawer he had stuck the socks in and rummaged around until he found them. “I hope you don’t laugh, but…” he turned around and held out the socks. Mafuyu gasped.

“That’s Tama!” he exclaimed, taking the socks and unfolding them. “You got his face put on socks! They’re amazing!”

 _“You are amazing,”_ Uenoyama thought. Out loud he just grunted and sat back down.

“Look at his tiny little tongue sticking out!” Mafuyu continued, “And his pointy ears. It looks just like him! Ugh, Uenoyama-kun, this is so cute and thoughtful of you. Thank you!” Suddenly Mafuyu turned and kissed Uenoyama’s cheek. If his face was flushed before, it was absolutely burning now.

“It was nothing,” he said, watching Mafuyu strip off his plain socks and slip on the new dog socks.

“No, it isn’t nothing,” Mafuyu insisted, raising his feet off the ground so that he could see them better, “you paid attention to me and then went out of your way to buy something I would love.”

“So, you like them?” Uenoyama asked, “You don’t have to wear them if you don’t like them.”

“Ritsuka,” Mafuyu said more firmly, and a thrill ran through Uenoyama as he met Mafuyu’s eyes, “I love them. Period. And I love you. You listen to me and are much better than you realize at helping me work through…this.” Uenoyama didn’t think his heart could take any more. Without thinking, he reached for Mafuyu and kissed him fiercely, just like he had that first time backstage. Only this time when he pulled back, Mafuyu smiled that perfect smile with his nose crinkled before leaning in to kiss him again, tangling one hand in Uenoyama’s hair and leaning the other on the bed for balance. He could have gotten lost in Uenoyama’s kiss for days and believed that there was nothing better on earth, but Uenoyama pulled back. He turned to face him more directly, smiling at Mafuyu with hooded eyes.

“I love you too, Mafuyu.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Okay, so I need to work on coming up with better titles. Other than that, what do you think?


End file.
